Method and apparatus for supplying steam during the location of threaded caps on containers

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for placing screw caps on jar-like containers which is adapted to evacuate air from the container by directing a horizontal high velocity stream of steam along the cap and the opening of the container. By providing a curved hood, the steam can be caused to pass the jar opening in two directions.

0 United States Patent [1 1 [111 3,881,300

Zetterberg 1 May 6, 1975 [54] METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR 2,519,353 8/1950 Cassady 53/110 SUPPLYING STEAM DURING THE 2,917,880 12/1959 H0111 53/314 X LOCATION OF THREADED CAPS ON 3,545,160 12/1970 Jantze et a1. 53/112 R X CONTAINERS [76] Inventor: Einar Zetterberg, Professorsgatan Primary Examiner-Travis S. McGehee 4B, Malmo, Sweden, 21453 Attorney, Agent, or FirmBurns, Doane, Swecker & 22 Filed: Aug. 24, 1973 Maths [21] Appl. No.: 391,053

[57] ABSTRACT [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Feb. 25, 1972 Sweden 2321/72 Apparatus f placing Screw caps on jar hke contaim ers which is adapted to evacuate air from the con- [52] U.S. C1 53/11; 53/110; 53/1 12 R miner by directing a horizontal high velocity stream of [51] Int. Cl B65b 31/00 Steam along the cap and the Opening of the container [58] new of Search 53/7, 22 R, 110, 112 R, By providing a curved hood, the steam can be caused 53/313 314 to pass the jar opening in two directions.

[56] References Cited 8 Cl 5 D F UNITED STATES PATENTS rawmg gums 2,322,250 6/1943 Murch 53/112 R rm11 'nn-m I I 36 37 37 h I I W'I I I I v iimulmllL PJITENTEU MAY 81975 SHEET 1 BF 5 PATENTEDMAY ems 3.881.300

SriEET REF 5 PATENTEUMAY 6|975 SHEET LL 0F 5 PATENTEUHAY 6|975 SHEET 5 0F 5 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING STEAM DURING THE LOCATION OF THREADED CAPS ON CONTAINERS The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for supplying steam during the location of threaded caps on containers for producing vacuum in the container.

In order to attain the desired vacuum in containers with caps, it is previously known to let a steam stream pass between the upper rim of the container and the cap before the location thereof, whereby the air in the container will be replaced by steam and, when the cap is located on the container and the steam under the cap has condensed, vacuum is attained in the container.

In order to make a correct location of the caps on the containers possible, good guide devices for the caps as well as for the containers are required. Said guide devices constitute an obstacle for the attainment of an effective steam injection at the moment when'the cap is located on the container. This has in turn implied an unnecessarily great steam consumption, variations in the vacuum values, as well as different results depending on the sizes of the caps.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel method of and apparatus for steam distribution during the cap location so that the disadvantages mentioned above are avoided.

A further object is to provide a novel method and apparatus for supplying steam during the locating and preliminarily tightening of threaded caps on containers for producing vacuum in the container employing the use of a cap locating device with side guide rails, a conveyor for containers and a steam supply device located where the cap location takes place with a number of horizontal passages in the side guide rails located where the cap location takes place. The steam supply device is connected to one of said guide rails for supplying steam to the passage thereof, so that steam from the passage of this guide rail is, horizontally streaming, passing the cap and the opening of the container to the passage of the other guide rail and against a steam deviation member back to the container, thereby providing for an evacuation of air from the container. In a preferred embodiment, the steam is directed bythe steam deviation member back to the container and cap along a horizontal distance between the cap locating and the preliminary tightening stations.

In order to better illustrate the invention, it will be described below with reference to the attached drawings.

FIG. I shows a side view of the type of apparatus, to which the invention is applied.

FIG. 2 shows in a larger scale a cross section of the apparatus as seen from the in-feeding side and provided with the device according to the invention.

FIG. 3 shows a section at the line IIIIII in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 shows the device in FIG. 2 as seen from above.

FIG. 5 shows an improved embodiment of the invention.

The apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is, as known, provided with a conveyor 31 for jar-formed containers and with the movement direction as indicated by the arrow. Above the conveyor a cap guide 42 is provided to a cap locating device 30, in which a cap therein is caught by a container which is fed by the conveyor, whereafter this with a cap located thereon passes a device 34 for preliminarily tightening of caps and therafter a device 35 for firmly tightening.

The cap locating device 30 is, as is shown in FIG. 2, as known provided with side guide rails 36, which serve to guide each respective cap 32, until it is completely caught by the container 33 fedby the conveyor 31. When the cap is in a position for location, the cap as well as the upper part of the container 33 are thus enclosed between the side guide rails 36.

According to the invention saidside guide rails 36 where the caps are located are provided with a number of horizontal passages 37. Outside of the side guide rail 36 which is at the left in FIG. 2, is a steam nozzle 1 arranged, to which a' steam supply channel 2 is connected, and outside of the otherguide rail 36 a hood or cape 21 is arranged provided with a short tube 22'. The extension and position of the nozzle 1 and the hood 21 are shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, which reveals that these means extend in the conveyance direction of the containers from a little ahead of the cap locating device 32 and the passages 37 and along the whole device 34 for preliminarily tightening. I 1

The nozzle 1 and the hood 21 are adjustably fastened to a cross yoke 23 and displaceable', so that their openings can be firmly fastened closely adjacent to the vertical outer side of the guide rail depending on the dis tance of the guide rails relative each other, which distance is adapted to the cap diameter.

The device according to the invention has especially that advantage, that part of the steam streaming out from the steam nozzle 1 continues through the passage 37 of the adjacent guide rail and in between the cap and the upper part of the container 33'and, horizontally streaming, provides for an injection effect there, so that the air is sucked out of the container and replaced by steam. I Y

Thereafter the steam streams through the opening 37 of the other guide rail and into the hood 21. The hood 21 is provided with a short tube 22. This short tube can be open outwards, so that the steam can escape to the environment. However, a better effect is reached if the short tube is closed, so that the steam will stream from the hood 21 back towards the adjacent guide rail and through some of its passages to that part of the apparatus where the cap location takes place.

At the improved embodimentshown in FIG. 5 the hood 21 is provided with a curved surface 21a, which causes the steam to deviate, so that it will be effectively thrown back towards the guide rail. The steam can thereafter find its way under and over the guide rail to the cap location area. However, the adjacent guide rail can be provided with extra passages 37a, through which the steam can stream back to the cap location area.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for supplying steam during the location of threaded caps on containers for producing vacuum in the containers, said apparatus comprising a cap locating device (30) with side guide rails (36), a conveyor for containers (33) and a steam'supply device (1,2) where the cap location takes place, characterized by the fact, that said side guide rails (36) where the cap location takes place are provided with a number of horizontal passages (37), and that said steam supply device (1,2) is connected to one of said guide rails for steam supply to the passage (37) thereof, and a steam deviating means opposite said passages arranged so that steam from the passage of said guide rail passes, horizontally streaming, the cap and container opening to the passage of the other guide rail against said steam deviating means where the steam is reflected back to the containers where the cap location takes place.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by the fact, that said guide rail (36) is provided with extra passages (37a) for letting the thrown back steam stream back into the cap location area.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by the fact, that part of said steam supply device and part of a steam deviating means which are closest to each respective guide rail, each have the form of a nozzle elongate in the conveyance direction of the container, said nozzles extending from a little ahead of said cap locating device and along the whole horizontal length of the device for preliminarily tightening of the caps.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 characterized by the fact, that said steam supply device is horizontally adjustable for firmly fastening closely adjacent to the vertical outer side of said guide rails depending on the distance of said guide rails relative to each other, which distance is adjusted according to the cap diameter.

5. A method of closing containers such that a reduced pressure exists therein, the method comprising:

feeding open containers by means of a conveyor; lo-

cating a cap with respect to a corresponding con tainer by guiding the cap between guide rails until the cap is engaged by its corresponding container;

providing a steam opening in one guide rail such that the opening faces the open container;

supplying steam outside the one guide rail and facing the open container;

streaming steam from the steam opening across the container and the cap at the position where the leading edges of the cap and container are engaged but while the trailing edges of the cap and container are vertically separated whereby air removed by the streaming steam is replaced by steam;

thereafter lowering said trailing edges into engage-.

ment while redirecting the steam from outside the other rail to the area between the guide rails; and finally,

preliminarily tightening the cap onto the corresponding container.

6. The method of claim 5 including:

supplying steam a predetermined distance along said one guide rail in the direction of conveyance of a container from a position upstream of a cap locating device to a position at the preliminary tightening station; and

using a surface outside the other guide rail to redirect steam back into the area between the guide rails along said distance. 7. The method of claim 5 including: adjusting the distance between the guide rails according to the diameter of the threaded cap; and according to the diameter of the threaded cap; and

horizontally adjusting a steam supply device and steam redirecting surface to be closely adjacent to the vertical outer side of the guide rails.

8. An apparatus for supplying steam during the location of threaded caps on containers for producing a vacuum therein, said apparatus comprising: a conveyor for containers; a cap locating device having side guide rails; one guide rail having a number of horizontal passages positioned adjacent the cap locating area and being connected with a steam supply device; the other guide rail including a number of horizontal passages adjacent the cap locating area; an outwardly closed steam deviating means with a surface for redirecting steam back to the container at the cap locating device, whereby steam from said steam supply device stream horizontally from the passages of said one guide rail past the cap and container opening to said other guide rail thereby evacuating air from the container and then is directed back to the cap location area. 

1. An apparatus for supplying steam during the location of threaded caps on containers for producing vacuum in the containers, said apparatus comprising a cap locating device (30) with side guide rails (36), a conveyor for containers (33) and a steam supply device (1,2) where the cap location takes place, characterized by the fact, that said side guide rails (36) where the cap location takes place are provided with a number of horizontal passages (37), and that said steam supply device (1,2) is connected to one of said guide rails for steam supply to the passage (37) thereof, and a steam deviating means opposite said passages arranged so that steam from the passage of said guide rail passes, horizontally streaming, the cap and container opening to the passage of the other guide rail against said steam deviating means where the steam is reflected back to the containers where the cap location takes place.
 2. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by the fact, that said guide rail (36) is provided with extra passages (37a) for letting the thrown back steam stream back into the cap location area.
 3. An apparAtus according to claim 1, characterized by the fact, that part of said steam supply device and part of a steam deviating means which are closest to each respective guide rail, each have the form of a nozzle elongate in the conveyance direction of the container, said nozzles extending from a little ahead of said cap locating device and along the whole horizontal length of the device for preliminarily tightening of the caps.
 4. An apparatus according to claim 1 characterized by the fact, that said steam supply device is horizontally adjustable for firmly fastening closely adjacent to the vertical outer side of said guide rails depending on the distance of said guide rails relative to each other, which distance is adjusted according to the cap diameter.
 5. A method of closing containers such that a reduced pressure exists therein, the method comprising: feeding open containers by means of a conveyor; locating a cap with respect to a corresponding container by guiding the cap between guide rails until the cap is engaged by its corresponding container; providing a steam opening in one guide rail such that the opening faces the open container; supplying steam outside the one guide rail and facing the open container; streaming steam from the steam opening across the container and the cap at the position where the leading edges of the cap and container are engaged but while the trailing edges of the cap and container are vertically separated whereby air removed by the streaming steam is replaced by steam; thereafter lowering said trailing edges into engagement while redirecting the steam from outside the other rail to the area between the guide rails; and finally, preliminarily tightening the cap onto the corresponding container.
 6. The method of claim 5 including: supplying steam a predetermined distance along said one guide rail in the direction of conveyance of a container from a position upstream of a cap locating device to a position at the preliminary tightening station; and using a surface outside the other guide rail to redirect steam back into the area between the guide rails along said distance.
 7. The method of claim 5 including: adjusting the distance between the guide rails according to the diameter of the threaded cap; and according to the diameter of the threaded cap; and horizontally adjusting a steam supply device and steam redirecting surface to be closely adjacent to the vertical outer side of the guide rails.
 8. An apparatus for supplying steam during the location of threaded caps on containers for producing a vacuum therein, said apparatus comprising: a conveyor for containers; a cap locating device having side guide rails; one guide rail having a number of horizontal passages positioned adjacent the cap locating area and being connected with a steam supply device; the other guide rail including a number of horizontal passages adjacent the cap locating area; an outwardly closed steam deviating means with a surface for redirecting steam back to the container at the cap locating device, whereby steam from said steam supply device stream horizontally from the passages of said one guide rail past the cap and container opening to said other guide rail thereby evacuating air from the container and then is directed back to the cap location area. 